FESTIVALERÖFFNUNG

Films, international guests and live music

The festival will be opened by Ibrahim Snoopy, the patron of the 23rd  African Film Festival Cologne. The international festival guests that will be in Cologne for the opening will be welcomed with music from Onita Boone. The opening will be followed by drinks in the foyer of the Filmforum, sponsored by KIOSK – Arts Exchange e. V. and further co-operation partners.

Cineastic kick off

TAXI MOTO

R: Gael Kamilindi; CH/F 2026; OmeU; DCP; 20 min.

A filmmaker loses funding for his film just before shooting is set to begin because its queer subject matter—a love story between two men—is deemed unacceptable. Unable to shoot in the original location, he reimagines the project in a new setting and with a new lead actor. As the film evolves and the boundaries between reality and fiction begin to blur, it becomes a visual exploration of intimacy, longing, and love. 

Live music at the festival

Onita Boone
(Deutschland)

Onita Boone is an extraordinary stage artist who learned the basics of music at an early age in the church choir of her hometown in Newburgh, NY. Over the course of her career, she continued to develop her skills as a singer, songwriter, composer, and coach, while also getting involved in charitable and humanitarian projects. In a career spanning more than 40 years, she has toured all five continents, shared the stage with artists such as Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, George Michael, Udo Jürgens, and Sarah Connor, contributed to numerous recordings, and gained a loyal fan base in the worlds of soul, R&B, and jazz. She has lived in Germany since 1997 and is committed to diversity, equality, and social inclusion.

With translation into German Sign Language.

Free of charge